The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-16
A. Id. 81
L.. F." 900
G. !" ..1.6OO

There were four or five sets of these mem
oranda, running from one to I'D" When
asked to explain the meaning of them, he
said they were some old examples in alge-
bra he had been working out with the boys.
In few minutes we were satisfied that the
| paper read:
| /, ARTILLERY in first division, twenty seven
pieces" Then ''In stood for infantry and
| the "C' for cavalry. We were satisfied
and yet we were not, for as soon as we
made it out the way have given it TO you,
Swift said:
General, Capt. Morton does not seem to
be good hand to remember faces. Will
you please send for the Orderly Sergeant
and my tent mates! If | can't show by
them that have been with company G
four months you can order me hung as a
spy"
The cool proposition staggered the Gen.
eral. Had we discovered the paper in the
mans pocket instead of his boots he would
have been allowed to walk off. The discov-
cry looked suspicious, and he was ordered
back to the guard house and the persons
sent for Two hours later he was confronted
by the Orderly Sergeant
Sergeant, do you know this manp' asked
the General
"No, sir"
Isn't he a member of your company"
s'No, sir.n
''You are dead sure of thiss"
81 am, sir"
Swift actually grinned as if it were good
joke, and said:
perhaps Il have changed skins with
somebody since came out of camp this
morning. Sergt. White, your given name
is Thomas You came from Chicago. You
have been twice wounded. Your father
was down to see you last week. You got
love letters from your girl in Galesburg.
You are 81 years old. You have brother
Ben in company Z. Hear me call the roll
of our company: Albright Allison, An
drews, Arkwright, Bement, Beamer, Bost-
wick, Carter, Corliss. Costigan, Gunner
ford"
And the man ratified off forty or fifty
names as fast as he could speak, and got
them all correct, too. The Sergeant looked
from his Captain to the prisoner, and then
pinched himself to see il he was awake or
asleep.
"I-l never saw him BEFORE" he finally
stammered, "but he must belong to the
| company"
Yes he certainly must" added the Cap
tain
"Well. take him back to camp with you,
Sergeant" observed the General. Hold
on, though; didn't we send for his tent
matesP
'"They are here, SIR"
"Weil, wen SEQ if they recOgnize him."
The three men were brought in and in
side of five minutes Swift was a doomed
man. He had come into camp four or five
days previous, claiming to be looking for a
friend, and had bri5ed tho boys to let him
into the tent He mades his excursions
through the division from this point. He
must have been man with wonderful
memory, and had gained oceans of infor-
nation without seeming TO pump anybody.
He tried to brave it out against the three
men, but other members of the company
were sent for, and his nerve at last gave
way.
A court martial was convened, and four
DAYS after his capture Swift was hung.
While he died game and would admit moth
ing. it was satisfactorily settled that he came
from Johnston's army, and that he was old
i'm the business. l was at the foot of the
gallows when he mounted it, and when the
moose was put over his head heard him
say;
"Gentlemen, it's d-n fine morning to
start on such journey as mine"